Betfred Geoffrey Freer Stakes
Group 3, Newbury 15:05 £60,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m 5f 61y, Class 1
Saturday 13th August 2016

1 Kings Fete EvensF
2 Ormito 8/1
3 Red Cardinal 6/1
5 ran Distances: 1¼l, hd, 1½l
TIME 2m 52.97s (slow by 5.47s)

Kings Fete makes fun of Geoffrey Freer rivals

Kings Fete
© Racehorse Photos

Sir Michael Stoute's improving five-year-old was sent off the even-money market leader and went straight to the head of affairs under a confident Pat Smullen.

Jamie Spencer, aware that Smullen was being allowed to set his own fractions in front, moved his mount Red Cardinal into second spot on the shoulder of the leader around the halfway stage, relegating Battersea into third, with Humphhrey Bogart and Ormito bringing home the five-runner field.

Despite the presence of Red Cardinal just behind, Kings Fete cruised along in front and really started to lengthen his stride passing the three-furlong marker, when the chasing pack all seemingly started to feel the pinch.

The thriving favourite found generously for pressure late in the mile and a half contest, Smullen only really showing him the whip with a furlong to travel, and he kept up the gallop to run out a ready one and a quarter-length winner from Ormito, who got going all too late but picked off Red Cardinal close home to take second.

The jockey said of Kings Fete: "There didn't seem to be a whole lot of pace in the race. He settled beautifully and the best horse won. He was lovely and relaxed - he's got a bit of class, this horse.

"Connections always thought a lot of him and he quickened up well and won well, but I do think he'll be a better horse with a lead and the ground has gone really quick here - in the last furlong, he was just changing his leads and perhaps feeling it a little. Good, good to firm ground is fine, but with the heat we've got here today, I'd say it's nearly firm.

"There was plenty there. I was just squeezing him up into the bridle and there was never any urgency from me. I always thought it was going to take a very good one to get past me."

Stoute said: "He is very honest and is a lovely horse. "He had to do it the hard way. We thought after Goodwood this was the logical step.

"He ran in the St Leger as a three-year-old over a mile-six, although he is very effective over 12 furlongs.

"He's in the Grand Prix de Deauville. The main thing is to see how he comes out of this.

"There are plenty of races for him. We tried him over a mile and five and we know he gets that. We will have to go back and think about things."

Betfred Geoffrey Freer Stakes
£60,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m 5f 61y, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Good to Firm

Pos	Dr	D	Horse SP	Jockey Weight	Trainer	Age
1st	(3)		Kings Fete Evsf	P J Smullen 9-7	Sir Michael Stoute	5
2nd	(2)	1¼	Ormito (GER) 8/1	Oisin Murphy 8-7	A M Balding	3
3rd	(4)	hd	Red Cardinal (IRE) 6/1	J P Spencer 9-5	D M Simcock	4
4th	(5)	1½	Humphrey Bogart (IRE) 9/2	S M Levey 8-7	R Hannon	3
5th	(1)	¾	Battersea 6/1	Andrea Atzeni 9-5	R Varian	5